Aviator&#39;s helmet



Aug. 26, 1930. R 1,774,325

AVIATORS HELMET Filed March 21, 1928 Hemy HQyewayHarfi,

Patented Aug. 26, 1930 HENRY RIDGEWAY HART, 0F MONTGLAIR, N JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 G. SPALDING & BROS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COBPGBATION 0F NEW JERSEY AVIATORS HELMET Application filed March 21, 1928. Serial No. 263,235.

The present invention relates to aviators helmets, particularly of the type adapted for. communication between occupants of a plane. In existing communicating helmets, commonly known as gosports, the ear pieces are built in the helmet permanently and the tubing connecting the ear pieces with the trans mitters or talking tubes is permanently secured thereto. This results in a very clumsy and heavy apparatus which restricts the free movement of the wearer. in addition, these helmets, being formed of stifl leather to receive and support, the phones securely, do not lie sufiiciently close to the head to preventwind from creeping in and reaching the ears.

In the helmet design, in accordance with the present invention, the ear pieces are mounted within the helmet so that they can be removed with little difiiculty and when it is desired to apply the communicating tubes and ear pieces to the helmet, little diillculty is experienced. in this manner, these elements can be readily removed and the helmet worn about the aviation grounds with little difiiculty. By providing such means for receiving and securing the phones, the material oi the helmet may be soft to enable it to lit the head and exclude air.

The specific construction embodied in the present invention will be described in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is view in side elevation showing a preferred form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure l, but with a portion of one side of the helmet broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the ear extension shown in Figure 2.

Figure at is a view in section taken on line 4l of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a View in section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring to the above figures, a designates the slrull portion of a helmet having ear extensions Z). The usual chin strap 0 is provided to secure the helmet in place and communi eating tubes (Z are associated with either ear extension in a manner described presently.

Within the helmet, and hinged at its lower extremity, is a flap e which may be secured, at I 6* is carried between the layers and the entire is apertured as at e to permit sound waves to pass readily through the flap. On its inner side the flap is provided with a circular disc 6 which is sewed to the flap as clearly shown in Figure The disc is formed with a V shaped slot 6 in order that an ear piece f may be inserted within the notch and between the disc and flap. The ear piece may be provided with a. tubeg for connection with the tubes (Z, this tube 9 passing through an aperture 6 in the ear extensions 6. The body portion of the helmet is provided wi h an inner layer a and suitable padding a may be inserted be tween the outer portion of the helmet and the inner layer a adjacent the ear piece.

It will be seen that the ear piece may be inserted or removed quite readily from the flap when the fastener e is released- After it has been inserted and the fastener secured, the weight of the ear piece causes it to be held securely in the notch 6 The specific form of ear piece is immaterial since they may take the form of head phones ormerel audible sound receivers or multipliers as used with the common forms or" communicatin tubes. As previously stated, the material forming the helmet and layers described above is preterably soft and pliable in order that the helmet may fit the head snugly to exclude air.

Although the invention has been described in connection with the specific showing in the accompanying drawings, it is not to be lim ited, save as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an aviators helmet having a skull portion and ear extensions, an ear pifece,

means to mount the ear piece on the inner side of an extension, means passing through the extension for communicating with the ear piece, a flap hinged at one side to the inner side of an extension, means on the flap to mount the ear piece, and means to mount the flap on the extension detachahly, whereby the ear piece may be removed.

2. In an aviators helmet having a skull portion and ear extensions, an ear piece, means to mount the ear piece on the inner side of an extension, means passing through the extension for communicating with the ear piece, a flap hinged at one side to the inner side of an extension, means to mount the ear piece on the flap and between the flap and extension, and means to secure detachably, the end of the flap distant from the hinged portion, to the extension.

3. In an aviators helmet having a skull portion and ear extensions, an ear piece, means to mount the ear piece on the inner side of an extension, means passing through the extension for communicating with the ear piece, a flap hinged at one side to the inner side of an extension, means to mount the ear piece on the flap and between the flap and extension, means to secure detachahly, the end of the flap distant from the hinged portion, to the extension, and padding mounted in the flap and extension adjacent the car piece.

4. In an aviators helmet having a skull portion and ear extensions, an ea piece, means to mount the ear piece on the inner side of an extension, means passing through the extension for communicating with the ear piece, a flap hinged at one side to the inner side of an extension, a disc secured to the flap adjacent the extension, a slot in the disc to receive the ear piece, and means to secure detachably, the end of the flap distant from the l nged portion, to the extension.

5. In an aviators helmet having a skull portion and ear extensions, an ear piece, means to mount the ear piece on the inner side of an extension, means passing through the extension for communicating with the ear piece, a flap hinged at one side to the inner side of an extension, a disc secured to the flap adjacent the extension, a slot in the disc to receive the ear piece, an aperture in the flap, padding in the flap about the aperture, padding in the extension, and means to secure detachably, the end of the flap distant from the hinged portion, to the extension.

This specification signed this 20th day of March A. I). 1928 HENRY BIDGENAY HART. 

